The price of engine spares

[andy_wilson]

Despite much bluff and bluster over the years, it seems that (perhaps unwittingly) people who operate Bukh and Yanmar motors are realising that they too are being robbed blind when they dip into the parts bin. Historically Volvo have taken all the flak (The above observered on these forums).

I was just wondering if anyone owning a Beta, Vetus (does anyone have one fitted), or anything else specifically designed OR marketed as a marine aux. could add to the debate - with facts and figure please, not the usual Beta = brill and Volvo = vernacular!

Also, everywhere I seem to turn is a convenient Volvo dealer, usually with a fair stock of consumables and not so consumable items.

How do the other engine makers fair in this department?

 

[aztec]

it's not just engines! any thing associated with engineering seems dear. i'm looking for a drive plate for an enfield outdrive leg. 70 quid! and iv'e got four of the buggers!!

 

[dickh]

Perkins spares are also expensive - I have perkins perama M20 and I had to have a new Exhaust Elbow - £150 for a perkins parta & £110 for the Volvo Penta part - the base engine is identical but with 40Ø hose for the VP and 50Ø for the perkins - Volspec gave me a piece of hose to adapt the VP tp 50Ø!
I also had a problem with the alternator - Perkins price was astronomical & no exchange(can't remember exactly) but it was repaired at a local starter/alternator shop for about £30!
If you shop around you can often find alternative parts from other places like ASAP Supplies.
Volvo came out about middle of the pile in a recent survey on engine spares.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing...

 

[coliholic]

Cor! What boat you got that has four engines in then?

 

[seahorse]

I had a Volvo MD2 & agree that parts prices are very steep so to avoid an expensive rebuild & still end up with an old engine I looked at the engine market.

I decided on a KUBOTA (base for Beta) half the weight & much smoother running. I bought a second hand engine & marinised it. I can now avoid the "marine mark up" & buy
belts filters etc from motor factors at half the price charged by BETA. "Sailing Today" had an article on engines & spares
prices a while ago, reading it helped me to decide on a "non-marine engine. Buyer beware! once you are locked into a system it can be difficult to get out of.

 

[chippie]

What brand heat exchanger did you use?, and how much was it?

 

[J_Priedkalns]

I marinised a VW Golf diesel (non turbo) for my 42ft sailboat and it has worked like a charm for the past 15 years. Parts are no problem as any automotive store has most parts, also service is not a problem; for a case of beer a VW mechanic will do a diesel tune-up! (Marinising parts were supplied by Lansing Marine)

 

[Guest]

High parts mark-ups are a fact of life. I worked for a well known fork lift truck manufacturer once and their standard parts mark-up was 500%. They went to great efforts to disguise the origin of many of the "standard" bits too. As stated elsewhere in this thread the answer is to know the origins of the base engine, and find an industrial supplier. For example, many marinised engines are now based on the Kubota unit, e.g. Beta. Bryco in Daventry are an industrial main dealer with relatively sensible parts prices.